Machine for setting up folding cartons of paperboard and the like



8 Sheets-Sheet 1 SHEMAN ATToR EY H. AHLMEYER ETAL 0F PAPERBOARD AND THE LIKE June 14, 1955 4 uACHINl-s FOR SETTING UP FOLDING cARToNs Filed Dec. 7. 1949' June 14, 1955 AHLMEYER ETAL 2,710,566I

MACHINE FOR SETTING UP FOLDING CARTONS 0F PAPERBOARD AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 7, 1949 JuneV 14, 1955 H, AHLMEYER ETAL 2,710,566

MACHINE FOR SETTING UP FOLDING CARTONS 0F PAPERBOARD AND THE LIKE F'lled Dec. 7. 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVE Z.

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MACHINE FOR SETTING UP FOLDING CARTONS OF PAPERBOARD AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 7, 1949 8 `Shee'cs--Sheet 4 A'TT RNEY INVENTOR HEINZ AHLMEYER Bywmmgmmu June 14, 1955 H. AHLMEYER ETAI- MACHINE FOR SETTING UP FOLDING cARToNs 0F PAPERBOARD AND THE LIKE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 7, 1949 EY D. u. ERM/1N INVENTOR HEINZAHL l www MEYER June 14, 1955 H, AHLMEYER ETAL 2,710,566

MACHINE FOR SETTING UP FOLDING CARTONS OF PAPERBOARD AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 7, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet .6

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MACHINE FOR SETTING UP FOLDING CARTONS 0F PAPERBOARD AND THE LIKE FilSd DSC. 7. 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 """Wunm mmm".

|NvENToR H N HLME YER -BYwHN-:xe ag RMAN ATT NEY MACHINE FOR SETTEN'G UP FLDHNG CARTNS GF' PAPERBOARD AND THE LIKE Heinz Ahimeyer, rangeburg, and Whitney D. Sherman, West Nyack, N. Y., assignors to Robert Gail' Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Deiaware Application December 7, 1949, Serial No. 131,641

4- Ciaims. (Cl. 93-49) The invention relates to a machine for setting up folding cartons of paperboard and the like, more particularly cartons of the kind commonly known in the paperboard carton business as the simplex type. Cartons of this type have side walls with end extensions attached to the end walls. These end extensions have diagonal score lines, usually pre-broken for ease of folding during the operation of setting up the folded carton. ln the flat folded carton the end walls are not folded, but are extended outwardly in the plane of the bottom. The side walls and side wall extensions are inwardly folded, flat against the bottom and end walls, the side wall extensions being integral with the side edges of the end walls. The diagonal score lines of the side wall extensions proceed from the corners of the bottom, defining in each extension two approximately triangular panels. Carton is set up in the usual hand operation, substantially simultaneous erection of the side and end walls brings these triangular panels into superimposed relationship, and infolding end flaps formed as extensions of the end walls are snugged down inside the carton to hold it in its erected form.

Summary Our machine comprises in its general arrangement a conveyor for delivering the folded cartons one at a time to a setting up station and for thereafter advancing the set-up cartons one at a time to a locking station, the setting up station comprising pivotally mounted members for engagement with the side and end walls of the carton to raise them erect, and the locking station comprising pivotally mounted elements arranged to swing downwardly into the erected carton and outwardly against the end walls to snug the end wall extensions against them. At the setting up station the pivotally mounted members for engagement with the end walls slightly lead the side wall engaging members during the erecting movements thereof. More particularly, the pivotally mounted members comprise a pair of vacuum members pivotally mounted for engagement with the side walls of the carton toswing them upwardly and outwardly from a position overlying the carton bottom to a substantially vertical position, and a pair of other members pivotally mounted for engagement with the end walls of the carton to swing them npwardly and inwardly from an extended position in the plane of the bottom to a substantialy vertical position. The members which engage the end walls of the carton have inwardly hooked ends for engagement with the fold line between the end walls and the inwardly folded extensions thereof. The pivot for each of the end wall engaging members is so located in relation to this fold line as to release the inwardly hooked end of the member from the carton as the end wall reaches its vertical position. The vacuum members comprise a suction head mounted to swing about a compound pivot to permit movement of the carton-engaging portion of the suction head in an arc whose center is in the fold line of a carton panel.

When employed for setting up carton covers, or certain As the I Patented June 14, 1955 cartons having shallow walls or made of thin caliper paperboard, it is preferable that the pivotally mounted elements at the locking station comprise a pair of superimposed plates, one of which-the locking plateis mounted directly on the pivot and the other of which is loosely mounted in slidable engagement with the locking plate, the loosely mounted plate when fully extended projecting beyond the locking plate and being wider than the locking plate and having rounded corners. Thus one of the plates constitutes a spreader which enters between the side walls ahead of the locking plate to hold the side walls out so that the locking plate can enter freely.

There is an automatic operating control for the pair of vacuum members and an automatic operating control for the other pair of members, these controls being timed to create an initial raising movement of the ends walls before there is any substantial raising movement of the side walls, and thereafter simultaneous movement of both pairs of members over the major portion of their operation.

Description ln order to assist others in practising our invention and in obtaining its fullest advantages, we shall here describe what we now consider to be its best embodiment. Inv the drawings which illustrate this embodiment:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of the machine, and Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are transverse vertical sectional views, to an enlarged scale, taken respectively on the lines 3 3, 4--4, and 5-5 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 shows the vacuum feeding station of the machine, Fig. 4 the setting up station and the vacuum controls for the feeding and setting up stations of the machine, and Fig. 5 shows the locking station.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4 showing the suction heads of the setting up station.

Fig. 7 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7a is a plan view of the vacuum control mechanism, taken as indicated at 7a-7a in Fig. 7.

Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views of the control cams for the vacuum members and fold plates respectively of the setting up station of the machine.

v Fig. l0 is a diagram illustrating the timing of the operating controls for the two pairs of members for raising the side and end walls of the carton.

Fig. 1l is a detail view illustrating a modified construction of the operating element at the locking station.

Figs. l2, 13 and 14 are views of a representative simplex type of carton. Fig. l2 is a view of the fiat folded carton as introduced into the feeding magazine of themachine. Fig. 13 shows the same carton in partially set up condition, illustrating an intermediate stage in the operation performed at the folding station of the machine. Fig. 14 shows the same carton at that stage of the operation in which the end wall extensions are being snugged down inside the carton at the locking station of the machine to hold the carton in its erected form.

Referring to Figs. 1 and A2, the machine in its general arrangement comprises a main frame 15 on which are mounted the vacuum feeding station 16, setting up station 17, locking station 18, and associated driving and control mechanism. The cartons are fed through the machine on a series of conveyors 19, 2) and 21, each ot which may comprise a pair of chains on which are mounted projecting fingers 82 for advancing the cartons, the spacing of these fingers on the successive conveyor sections being such that after the carton has been transferred from section 19 to section 2i), it can be held in a position of rest during the setting up operation and thereafter advanced to conveyor section 21 where it again remains in a position of rest until the locking operation has been performed, after which it is carried out of the machine by conveyor section 2l. The chain sprockets at the overlapping ends of conveyors 19 and 20 are iixed on a common shaft, as is also true of the chain sprockets at the overlapping ends of conveyor sections 20 and 2l, so that all three sections are driven from a common shaft 23. Fixed to shaft 23 is another chain sprocket driven by chain 22 which in turn is driven in any suitable fashion as by means of the associated shafts, sprockets or pulleys, and chains or belts 24, 2S, 26 and 27 from a speed reducer 28 suitably coupled to an electric motor 29.

The vacuum feeding station The vacuum feeding station comprises a hopper or magazine 3) which may be of conventional construction, consisting generally of guides 31 shaped to guide the corners of the cartons, These may be relatively adjustable so as to accommodate different sizes of cartons, and

for this purpose we have shown guides 31 mounted on bars 32 which are laterally adjustable along transverse bars 33, one pair of brackets 31 being adjustable longitudinally along bars 32. Transverse bars 33 are suitably fixed to the frame 15.

At the lower end of magazine 30, inwardly projecting shoulders or ledges 34 engage the ends of the lowermost carton to hold it just above the conveyor 19 until it is removed from the magazine by the action of the vacuum feed mechanism. This mechanism is of conventional construction and comprises a pair of vacuum feed cylinders 35 xed to the frame of the machine in any convenient manner. Feed vacuum cups 36 move up and down in these cylinders in response to vacuum intermittently created through hose connections 37 by means of a control to be described. are of a construction well known in the art, it will be un necessary to describe them in detail except as the operating control therefor is arranged for timed relationship to the other controls to be described.

The setting up station At this station of the machine there are two pairs of elements operating on the carton in timed relationship to one another. One of these is a pair of vacuum cups 3S which are arranged to swing from a position below the conveyor section Ztl to a position in engagement with the side panels of the carton to which they adhere upon the application of suction so that upon retraction the sides of the carton are raised to a vertical position. The other pair of operating elements are the fold plates 39 which engage the end walls of the carton as well as the end wall extensions near the fold line between the end walls and extensions to raise the end walls into vertical position and direct the end Wall extensions inwardly.

One of the features of our invention resides in the particular cooperation between the action of vacuum elements 38 and plates 39 so that the plates are rst elevated into a position to raise the end walls slightly. Thereafter the vacuum devices 3d and end plates 39 operate substantially in unison to bring both the side and end waiis into their iinal vertical position.

Another feature of our invention resides in mounting the suction heads for the side panels for movement about a compound pivot to permit the suction cups to follow a true arc about the fold lines between the side and bottom panels, thus preventing sliding of the cups over the surfaces of the panels and possible breaking of their gripping action. rThis also has the advantage of eliminating wear on the edges of the suction cups and marring of the outer surface of the carton. Each of the vacuum cups 38 is mounted on a suction head 40 pivotally mounted at 4l between the bifurcations of arm 42 mounted on a bracket 43 fixed to oscillating shaft 44 mounted in bearings ixed to the frame 15. A spring 45 bearing at one end against the base of a recess in arm 42 and at the other end against the base of a recess in inasmuch as these vaeuum devices suction head 4t) normally holds the suction head in the position shown in Fig. 6. Inasmuch as the axis of the oscillatory shaft 44 is slightly removed from the fold line between the side and bottom Walls of the carton, the arc of movement of the suction cup 38 would not coincide with the arc of movement of the point on the side wall against which cup 38 bears, but by reason of the pivotal connection of the suction head at 4l, cup 33 can move about the exact center of the aforesaid fold line. lu doing so, spring 4S will be compressed to the extent necessary. This makes it unnecessary for cup 3S to slide over the surface of the side wall of the blank during the operation of raising the wall to its vertical position. The action of spring 45 however insures that the cup will be brought into proper engagement with the side wall for the beginning of the operation.

A hose connection 46 leads from the suction cup 38 through head 4Q and extends to the valve control mech anism to be described. Mounted on each of the oscillatory shafts 44 is a pinion 47 engaging a rack bar 4S. The rack bars 48 are adjustably mounted in a yoke 49 which is arranged for vertical reciprocation on posts 50. A cam roller 51 on yoke 49 engages the cam surfaces of a cam 52 mounted on shaft 26 previously referred to. Thus the movements of the suction heads 40 are controlled by a cam driven by motor 29 in timed relationships tothe other operating elements of the machine.

Referring to Fig. 4, each or" the plates 39 is formed at its outer end with an inwardly projecting flange S3 for engagement with the end wall extension at the fold line between it and the end wall. Plate 39 is lixed to an arm SL3- pivotally mounted as at S5 to a bracket 56 xed to the frame of the machine. A connecting rod 5'/ is piv otally connected at its upper end to arm S4, as at 5S, and at its lower end to a yoke S9, as at 60. Yoke 59 is mounted for vertical reciprocation on the posts 5t) in response to movement controlled by a cam roller 61 mounted on bracket 62 xed to the yoke and engaging the cam surfaces of a cam 63 mounted on shaft 26. Thus, as in the case of the suction heads 4G, plates 39 are operated in timed relationship from the drive for the other operating elements of the machine.

The locking smIO/l in this station of the machine there are two end folding plates 64 attached to brackets 65, said brackets pivoted at 66. These brackets 65 are adjustably supported in an overhead structure 67. At the lower end of bracket 65 is pivotally attached a connecting rod 68, the lower end of which is connectcd to a yoke member 69, said yoke being slidably mounted on posts 7l). Fixed to the yoke 69 and extending downwardly therefrom is a forkshaped member 7l which has a vertically guiding relationship to shaft 24 through bushing 72. Mounted on member 71 is a cam roller 73 engaging cam 74 fixed to shaft 24. Thus the movements of the end folding plates 64 are controlled from the drive for the other operating elements of the machine and in timed relationship thereto.

ln Fig. 1l we have illustrated a modified construction of the locking mechanism in which in place of the plates 64 there is a pair of superimposed plates 8S, 89. late 8S is the locking plate proper and is fixed to the bracket 65. Plate 89 is a spreader plate which is slidabiy mounted on plate SS as by means of bolts 9G passing through slots 91 in the spreader plate and screwed into the locking plate. Spreader plate 3S" projects beyond the leading edge 92 of the locking plate when the former is in its outermost position. Also the spreader plate is somewhat wider than the locking plate and has rounded corners 93 to facilitate its entry between the side walls of the carton ahead or" the locking plate to hold the side walls out so that the locking plate can enter freely. As the locking plate reaches its final position corresponding to that Shown in dot-dash lines in Fig. 5 where it is snugging the end wall extension into its final locking position, the spreader plate siides upwardly so that the edges of the two plates are in line. We prefer to employ a construction in which locking plate 88 is the same as locking plate 64 shown in Fig, 5, so that the locking unit can be converted for use either with or without the spreader, the spreader plate preferably being employed when the machine is being used for setting up carton covers or certain cartons having shallow walls or which are made of thin caliper paperboard such that the walls tend to bow inwardly prior to locking of the end flap extensions. Regardless of whether or not the spreader plate is employed, the primary action of the locking plate remains the same. It folds the end wall extension downwardly and outwardly against the erected side wall extensions. The end wall extensions of a simplex type carton ordinarily are deeper than the sides of the carton, terminating in a locking tab with a score line between the locking tab and the extension proper. As the extension is brought into its linal position, this score line is broken by the locking plate and the locking tab snugs down against the bottom of the carton, helping to hold the erected carton in its final form.

Movement of the cartons through the machine is guided by top guide bars and 76, side plates 77 and bottom corner brackets 78. Guide bar 75 extends from the magazine 30 to the discharge end of the machine. Guide bars 76, side plates 77 and bottom corner 'brackets 78 extend from a point just beyond the setting up station 17 to the discharge end of the machine. Side plates 77 preferably have a flaring entrance portion 79 as shown in Fig. 2, and a similar flaring portion 80 is provided on the entering ends of guide bars 76. Mounted on the top guide bar 75 in a position opposite the trailing side wall of the carton as erected at the setting up station is a bracket 81 which furnishes a stop against which the trailing side wall is brought during its erecting movement to insure that the suction member 38 will separate freely from the side wall. The cartons are advanced by the conveyor sections which have fingers 82, Fig. l, which bear against the trailing edge of the bottom. The cartons are carried slightly above the conveyor chains on tracks 83, S3, 83, 33 and guide bars 84, 84. As the cartons are delivered from the magazine 30, resilient holddown bars S5, 85 press the ends of the carton against guide rails 84, and center hold-down bars 86 bear against the top of the folded carton. These hold-down elements extend only up to a point slightly in advance of the setting up station. As the cartons are delivered from the conveyor chains 19 to the conveyor chains 2t), their forward motion is stopped for an interval suiicient to complete the setting up of the side walls and ends of the carton. Proper registry of the folded carton at the setting up station is insured by a pair of stops 37, 37 fixed to the frame of the machine. After the completion of the setting up operation the end walls will have been raised upwardly and inwardly into a position which clears these stops and permits the carton to resume its movement through the machine which is continued upon its engagement by lingers S2 of conveyor chains 29. lt will of course be understood that the relative spacing of the fingers 82 on the successive sections of the conveyor are such as to bring these fingers into operating engagement with the carton immediately after the setting up operation has been completed.

As the carton is transferred from the conveyor section 20 to conveyor section 21 a similar interruption in its forward movement is caused, the top guide rails 75 and 76 here cooperating with guide plates 77 and bottom corner rails 78 in holding the carton during the operation of the locking plates. Resumption of the forward movement of the carton to bring it out of the locking station is determined, again, by the proper location of fingers $2 of the conveyor section 21 in relation to the same fingers on the preceding conveyor section.

Operating control mechanism Reference has already been made to the hose connections 37 and 46 and to the cams 52 and 63 forming part of the control mechanism for the magazine feed and setting up station. Referring iirst to the vacuum controls shown in Figs. 4 and 7, the mechanism comprises valves 94, 95. Valve 94 controls the application of vacuum through hose connections 37 to the magazine feed station and valve 95 controls the application of vacuum through hose connections d6 to the suction heads of the setting up station. These valves may be of conventional construction and consist generally of a piston valve which opens and closes a connection between the hose connections and a suction line 96 leading to a suitable vacuum pump (not shown). The piston of valve 94 has a piston arm 97 which in the construction illustrated is of generally U- shape, the base of the U being connected by a return spring 9S to a bracket 99 fixed to the frame of the machine. The free end of piston arm 97 is guided in a pair of lugs in which this arm is slidably mounted. On this free end of the piston arm is a bracket 101 carrying a cam roller 192 cooperating with the cam surface of a cam 103 xed to the shaft 26 to which reference has already been made and which is driven from the motor 29 as has been noted. This cam is designed to open and close the valve at appropriate intervals to apply suction to the cups 36 of the feed mechanism. When the vacuum is applied, the first action of the vacuum feed cylinders 35 is to elevate suction cups 36 against the bottom of the lowermost folded carton in the magazine 30. The instant that the cups engage the carton, the vacuum produces a reverse movement of the cups 36 to pull them downwardly and snap the lowermost carton free of the ledges 34 and deposit it on the tracks and guide rails 83 and 84. As soon as this occurs the valve is closed to release the suction through the action of cam 103. At substantially the same moment the fingers 82 of the first conveyor section 19 engage the trailing edge of the carton to begin its advancing movement toward the setting up station. Operation of valve 95 is controlled in asimilar fashion by a cam 104 with cooperating cam roller 105 mounted on bracket 106 fixed to the free end of piston arm 107 which is normally urged into its closed position by tension spring 103 attached between arm 107 and bracket 99. The timing of the operation of valve 95 will be considered in connection with the following description of the mechanical control for the suction heads 4t) and fold plates 39.

For this, reference is now made to Figs. 8, 9 and l0, Figs. 8 and 9 being details of cams 52 and 63 previously referred to, and Fig. 10 being a diagram of the movements of the suction heads and fold plates. These cams are xed to shaft 26 approximately in the relative positions indicated in Figs. 8 and 9 for clockwise rotation as here viewed.

Starting the operation withthe cams in the positions of Figs. 8 and 9, it will be observed that the cam roller 51 associated with the operating mechanism for suction heads 40 is about to enter that section of the cam which will advance the suction heads into engagement with the side walls of the folded carton. At this point the suction heads are in a retracted position such that the cups 38 are slightly below the path of travel of the folded carton upon entering the setting up station of the machine. Thus when cam 52 is in the position of Fig. 8 a folded carton has just about reached its setting up position. Now movement of the cam in the direction shown by the arrow advances the suction heads 4t! about the axis of oscillating shaft 44. Atl the end of this advancing movement of the suction head, cups 3S are pressed against the outer surface of the side walls of the folded carton and at this point the suction control cam 104 is operated to create a vacuum, adhering suction cup 38 to the carton wall. During the next phase of the operating cycle, suction heads to are retracted to raise the sides of the carton to a vertical position. The suction heads are momentarily held in this fully raised position, after which the suction cam 104 again operates, this time to close the vave and release the suction. After' this the cam 52 operates to fun ther retract suction heads 40 into a position below the path of movement of the entering cartons.

Referring now to Fig. 9, cam roller 61 for controlling the operation of plates 39 for erecting the end walls of the carton, it will be seen that the cam 63 will rst rotate without producing any movement of the fold plates since this part of the cam surface is circular. At the end of the circular portion of the cam surface roller 61 enters upon a section which produces an initial raising movement of the fold plates 39. This exes the end walls of the folded carton upwardly a slight amount during the time that the suction heads 46 are being brought into final engagement with the side walls of the carton. After this we reach another circular portion of cam 63, and while the cam roller 61 is traversing this portion of the cam, there may be a slight initial retracting movement of suction heads 49 through the operation of cam 52. Next we reach a section o cam 63 which produces a further raising movement of the end Walls of the carton so that the end walls and side walls are now brought into their final erected positions together. Now we come to a third circular section of cam 63, and while the roller is traversing this part of the cam, the suction is being released at the suction heads fit). Finally we come to the lowering section of cam 63 which brings the fold plates 39 back to their original position. At this point we reach the original circular section of the cam which produces a dwell in the operation, during which the carton is advanced from the setting up station to the locking station of the machine,

The relative timing of the cams 52 and 63 of Figs. 8 and 9 can best be understood by referenceto the diagram, Fig. l0, and the legends thereon which show how the movements of the suction heads 40 and fold plates 39 are correlated. As here revealed, the actuating mechanism for these two pairs of members is arranged to first bring the vacuum members into engagement with the side walls of the carton and create an initial raising movement of the end wall engaging members, after which all of the members move together until their vertical positions are reached.

A representative carton of the simplex type is illustrated in Fig. 12. it has a bottom panel with adjoining side walls 109, and walls 119 and infolding end wall extensions i111. Side wall extensions 112 are integral with both side and end walls, adjoining the side walls 109 at fold lines 113 and the side edges of the end walls llt) at fold lines 114. Fold lines U4 are iu tine with the fold line between the side walls and the bottom of the carton. End extensions H2 have diagonal score lines 115, usually pre-broken for ease of folding during the operation of setting up the carton. ln the flat folded carton the end walls are not folded but are coplanar with the bottom. The side walls and side wall extensions are inwardly folded, flat against the bottom, substantially as shown in Fig. l2. The diagonal score lines H5 of the side wall extensions proceed from the corners of the bottom, defining in each extension two approximately triangular panels 116 and 117. As the carton is set up, erection of the side and end walls brings these triangular panels into superimposed relationship, and the infolding end aps lil are snugged down inside the carton to hold it in its erected form. These flaps Ill may have extensions i12 which assist in holding them in their locking position.

Our machine provides means for setting up simplex type cartons of the same form as are conventionally used in setting up by hand. Consequently in the event of any needed shutdown of the machine for maintenance or repairs, operations need not be interrupted. However in the case of operation in a plant where a number of machines are employed so that maintenance and repair can be done in rotation on the various machines, it is possible to use a modified carton construction. The conventional construction of cartons designed for setting up by hand requires that the diagonal web scores 115 'ne pre-broken and that glue be applied to one of the trianguiar portions of the end wall extensions so as to make it possible to accomplish the hand operation. However when our machine is used, it is possible to dispense with both the pre-breaking of the diagonal scores and the ing. This simplifies the manufacture of the folded emton and reduces its cost, which is an advantage additional to that represented by the saving in hand labor through the use of our machine.

Throughout the specification and claims the term carte-n" is to be understood as referring not only to a carton l lv section but also to a carton cover section because in a simplex carton the cover and body can be i ie general construction, and our machine has ned for the purpose of setting up simple): carton and carton covers interchangeably subject only to such adjustments as may be required in order to accommodate different sizes of carton or cartons having different heights of walls, etc.

The terms and expressions which we have employed are used in a descriptive and not in a limiting sense, and we have no intention of excluding such equivalents of the invention described, or of portions thereof, as fall within the purview of the claims.

We claim:

l. ln a machine for setting up folded cartons, a suction head mounted to swing about a main pivot whose center is offset a substantial distance from the plane of the folded carton and also about a secondary pivot to permit movement of the carton-engaging portion of the suction head in an are whose center is in the fold line of a carton panel.

2. A machine for setting up folded cartons having side walls inwardly folded flat against the bottom, end walls extended outwardly in the plane of the bottom, and end wall extensions inwardly folded flat against the end walls, comprising a conveyor for delivering the folded cartons one at a time to a setting up station and for thereafter advancing the set-up cartons one at a time to a locking station, the setting up station comprising pivotally mounted members for engagement with the side and end walls to raise them erect, with the end wall engaging members slightly leading the side wall engaging members during the erecting movements thereof, and the locking station comprising pivotally mounted elements arranged to swing downwardly into the erected carton and outwardly against the end walls to snug the end Vall extensions thereagainst, each of the pivotally mounted elements of the locking station comprising a pair of superimposed plates one of which is mounted directly on the pivot and the other of which is loosely mounted in slidable engagement with the first, the loosely mounted plate when fully extended projecting beyond the first plate and being Wider than the rst plate and having rounded corners.

3. A machine for setting up folded cartons having side walls inwardly folded flat against the bottom, end walls extended outwardly in the plane of the bottom, and end wall extensions inwardly folded fiat against the end walls, comprising a conveyor for delivering the folded cartons one at a time to a setting up station and for thereafter advancing the set-up cartons one at a time to a locking station, the setting up station comprising pivotally mounted members for engagement with the side and end walls to raise them erect, with the end wall engaging members slightly leading the side wall engaging members dur the erecting movements thereof, and the locking station comprising pivotally mounted elements arranged to swing downwardly into the erected carton and outwardly against the end walls to snug the end wall extensions thereagainst, each of the pivotally mounted elements of the locking station comprising a locking plate and avsuperimposed sliding spreader plate with rounded corners to enter between the side walls ahead of the locking plate and hold the side walls out so that the locking plate can enter freely.

4. In a machine for setting up folded cartons, a pair of members pivotally mounted for engagement with the end walls of the carton and to swing upwardly and inwardly, said members having inwardly projecting 'flanges, the pivot for each of said members being offset below and inwardly of the fold line of said end walls whereby as said members swing upwardly and inwardly said projecting anges are rst brought against the end 10 edges of the folded carton to exert pressure in the plane of said end walls, and are later brought free from said end edges as the end walls reach their vertical position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,017,583 Burrow Oct. l5, 1935 2,220,390 Bishop Nov. 5, 1940 2,280,773 Ferguson Apr. 2S, 1942 2,510,251 Perilli June 6, 1950 2,582,393 Perilli Ian. 15, 1952 2,587,050 Levkoff Feb. 26, 1952 

